Since the introduction of web browsers by companies such as Netscape Communications, a division of America On-line and Microsoft Corporation, the Internet has seen an explosion of activity. Businesses, both big and small, are creating web sites to obtain wide exposure, to inform the public of their goods and services, and to conduct Internet commerce. Web sites that are in current use by businesses are of varying sophistication.
The least sophisticated type of web site used by merchants are those that simply present information. These web sites typically display information about the merchant's organization, contact information, and goods or services. These web sites are not interactive and do not permit two-way communication. A person accessing the web site therefore can not provide the merchant information necessary for commerce, such as a product selection, name, ID, credit card number, etc., over the Internet. Accordingly, these types of web sites are not conducive for Internet commerce and are of limited value.
More sophisticated web sites useful for conducting business over the Internet generally provide for two-way communication. These web sites typically include web page(s) to display a merchant's goods and/or services for sale, and pages for allowing a person viewing the web site to make a purchase over the Internet. For example, a web site for a bed and breakfast inn may include photographs and information about the inn. A user accessing the web site may make a room reservation at the inn by selecting a room and a date for the reservation using either pull down menus or typing such information into predetermined fields included on the web site. The information is then emailed to the computer maintaining the web site. The problem with this type of web site is that it is typically a “stand-alone” piece of software, not linked or integral to other computer systems or software the merchant may use in the ordinary course of business. The merchant is therefore required to take the reservation information (name, date, party size, rate, etc.) received by email, and manually enter it into the reservation system ordinarily used by the inn. The merchant is then required to confirm the reservation with the customer by either a return email, by facsimile, or by telephone. The customer does not receive a real-time confirmation. This method is therefore inefficient, cumbersome, and prone to error and leaves the Internet user with an “incomplete” web experience.
The most sophisticated web sites used for Internet commerce typically include databases and are highly interactive. These web sites permit users to perform on-line searching, enter queries, make purchases, and access database information over the internet. See for example the web sites for Amazon.com, and United Airlines. The problem with these websites is that they need to be custom created by software experts with a high degree of skill and expertise. These web sites are therefore very expensive and time consuming to create and are well beyond the means of most merchants hoping to conduct business over the Internet.
The vast majority of service oriented businesses that sell an inventory of time-slots (e.g. restaurants, golf courses, bed and breakfast inns, spas, etc.) still use “pencil and paper” systems to keep track of their reservations/appointments. Unlike eCommerce retailers selling goods over the Internet, these merchants have yet to participate in the Internet revolution. An easy to use, flexible, customizable Internet based reservation software package that enables such merchants to capitalize on the Internet revolution is therefore needed.